Month: November 2019

The (not so) secret diary of a pole and aerial hoop beginner – Week Three

Posted on by Joey

Week Three – Pole

After sustaining a little muscle pull in my last pole class, I couldn’t wait to get back in the studio and try again. This time around, everything went much better!

Hannah checked with all attendees for new injuries that she should be aware of then warmed as all up as usual. Honestly, I’m getting better at following the warm-up, but I’m still not perfect (maybe week four is my lucky week?).

We launched into a short routine, which included a Step Around, into Falling Lady/Man/Person (however you identify, that’s cool!), into Shoulder Roll, then Chair Spin and finally a Pole Climb.

Step Around was familiar to me from week one, so that felt pretty easy. Falling Lady/Man/Person was a little bit trickier (it kind of felt like a reverse Attitude Spin?), but I think I got there in the end.

The Shoulder Roll was not my friend! I think because I’ve been so inactive for a long time (see the inaugural blog in this series), I found it hard to roll over myself and land gracefully without banging hard onto the floor. After a quick assessment from Hannah, I realised I wasn’t spreading my legs wide enough and I wasn’t “pushing through” with my hand to make the roll a bit more graceful.

The Chair Spin element of the routine was incredibly fun, it’s another thing I have seen so many times at shows and competitions, so actually getting to do it and nail it after just a couple of tries was really satisfying.

I had been dreading the final part of the routine, the Pole Climb. This is what had caused my little injury the previous week, but I was determined that this time around I was going to nail it.

Hannah first had me do a single lift, then try removing a hand at a time. After a few tries I got it! The key I think is trusting in yourself and breathing correctly. Hannah makes it look absolutely effortless and I have an even greater respect for all the volunteer pole cleaners at shows and competitions, they deserve a medal/trophy all of their own! I then tried to climb further up the pole and get my rhythm down, so it was smooth (I was trying to do this in basketball shorts, pole shorts are on order!). I managed three climbs before I had to give up, but I was surprised at how far off the floor I was.

Tying this all together and then running through it made me feel like I’d really learned something in the short time that I have been attending classes at Aerial Attic. I can see why people get so into pole, there’s an instant validation of what you’ve been working on when you nail a move, plus the support and encouragement of both the instructor and other class attendees is a huge boost to your confidence.

No Aerial Yoga this week, as I was a little bit behind on writing up this post, but hopefully I manage my time a little better next week and get back into my “zen space.”

Week Three – Aerial Hoop

After having a great session in Aerial Hoop the week before, I was keen to get back in the studio and push harder to get some new moves in the bag.

We started off with our usual warm up, moving onto some conditioning on the hoops, shoulder shrugs, seat, pike and straddle lifts (week one I hated these and have weirdly grown to love them now!).

Ellie started off by showing us a combo that involved Double/Single Knee Hang, Peter Pan, transitioning to Mermaid and then Bottom Bar Mermaid.

Getting in and out of the hoop felt even easier than last week and Ellie commented that I looked a lot more comfortable and at ease in the hoop.

Double Knee Hang actually felt fairly comfortable compared to when I first tried it. Taking my left leg off to go into Single Knee Hang was a bit of a challenge and I did feel like I might fall, but it was great to up the ante a little. I did try it with removing my right leg instead of the left too, but this didn’t feel quite as secure and I couldn’t straighten my free leg (something to work on next week).

The Peter Pan seemed to click in my head very quickly and within a few tries I think I had got it down pat.

Mermaid on the other hand felt very uncomfortable on both sides (rolling on to my left felt a bit easier than the right). The end result of this move felt really unstable to me (maybe it’s a mental thing), like I was going to fall right out of the hoop, but I did get there in the end.

I only got the chance to try Bottom Bar Mermaid once during the session, as there was a lot to get through this week, but again, I think it something to pick up next week to make sure I really get it.

I did want to revisit Man in the Moon to Amazon transition, to really make sure I had understood it from last week and this week it felt a lot smoother. Ellie did make me raise my legs too, as you can see from the photos, I’m a bit taller than most of the students so it did look like I had my feet on the floor in the Amazon (I promise I didn’t!), see the picture below as proof.

I have literally been raving about my classes to anyone that will listen, telling them all about what I have been doing and how good I feel for days afterwards! I cannot recommend pole and aerial hoop enough to my friends, it’s so different to any work out or class I have ever done before, so much more interesting and satisfying. If you already do pole or hoop, I strongly recommend you take up the whichever one you’re not already doing.

<<< Previous Post – The (Not So) Secret Diary Of A Pole And Aerial Hoop Beginner – Week Two<<<

>>>Next post – The (Not So) Secret Diary Of A Pole And Aerial Hoop Beginner – Week Four>>>

X-POLE Last Shipping dates and Office Opening Hours Christmas 2019

Posted on by Joey

To make sure you can get all your X-POLE goodies in time for the festive season, we want to share our last shipping dates for Christmas.

Pallets

Single Parcels

All orders being collected from Potters Bar Warehouse must be paid for in advance. The sales team will advise when your items are ready to collect.

X-POLE Office Hours Christmas 2019

The X-POLE offices will be closed for Christmas from 23rd December at Midday and will reopen in 2020 on January 2nd at 9:00am.

No orders will be processed during this time however please continue to place orders via the website or e-mail any orders or enquiries and these will be dealt with on our return.

As always, technical support can be found on our YouTube Channel.

The (not so) secret diary of a pole and aerial hoop beginner – Week Two

Posted on by Joey

Week Two – Pole

After my first pole class, I couldn’t wait to get back to the studio and start training with Hannah again! All through the weekend before I had been thinking about it and making sure I remembered everything I had learnt from week one.

19:30 rolled around on Monday and I was ready to get back to it! As usual, we warmed up (after week one, I was able to follow Hannah a little better, but my coordination still needs some work!) and then began to do some conditioning on the pole.

After being shown how to do a simple pull up on to the pole for conditioning, I attempted it myself, I suddenly felt an awful stabbing pain in my upper abdomen! I took a few minutes to get my breath back, had a sip or two of water and was ready to try again. But the pain came back! Hannah spoke to me and asked how I was doing, and I explained the problem. With concern she suggested I take an extended break before giving it another try. After the break, I tried one more time, but it was no good. Unfortunately, I had to cut week two of my pole adventure short. Hannah suggested I get myself home and do some gentle stretches to make sure I work out the issue. I also picked up some heat pads and a box of ibuprofen before heading home and calling it a night. I was absolutely gutted I couldn’t participate, as I’d been looking forward to class the whole week before, but as a lot of people have said to me since; “you have to listen to your body,” and mine was telling me to slow down for the meantime.

Bonus lesson: Aerial Yoga

After taking it easy for the rest of Monday and Tuesday, Wednesday loomed and my Aerial Hoop lesson with Ellie was getting closer. I was a bit worried that I might not have given myself enough time to recover from whatever I had done to myself in Pole two nights before.

A few colleagues suggested I try the aerial yoga class that takes place at Aerial Attic before my regular Hoop class, as its very relaxing and good for stretching. Aerial Yoga is something I have been intrigued by for quite some time, so I didn’t need much convincing!

I arrived to find my instructor for the lesson was the awesome Jessica Ashby, another X-POLE show/exhibition alum! Of course, I let Jessica know exactly what I had done in pole class two nights previous re my little injury.

I can’t even begin to describe how relaxing but fun the session was. Afterwards, I felt completely zen, thanks Jess! Also, thanks for the tip on proper breathing (i.e. exhaling when about to attempt a lift or exerting effort, this helped massively!).

Week Two – Aerial Hoop

I had about an hour to wait between my Aerial Yoga and Hoop class, so made sure I drank plenty of water and had a bit of a nibble on some fruit before heading back upstairs from the office to the studio. Being mindful of what I had done in my pole class, I did talk to Ellie and we decided to take it slow this week.

Ellie ran us through the warmup and stretching before getting us to do some conditioning on the hoops. Taking Jess’ breathing tip to heart, the pain was absolutely minimal, I could feel a slight pull still, but that was to be expected, I think.

We worked on what I had done last week, specifically Gazelle and Man In The Moon, but added transitioning into Amazon and also Double Knee Hang  

I must admit, this week, getting into the hoop and manoeuvring inside it felt a lot smoother for me. I think this was a combination of being used to the movement of the hoop (it still swings a fair bit when I get in, not got that nailed just yet, but I’m getting better) and the fear of falling is getting less and less the more I’m in the hoop. Getting out of the hoop without simply hopping down is something I still need to work on, but I am incredibly happy with my progress so far in both pole and hoop!

To sum up: always make sure you warm up properly, be mindful of your breathing, listen to your body and point those toes!

<<< Previous Post – The (Not So) Secret Diary Of A Pole And Aerial Hoop Beginner – Week One<<<

>>>Next post – The (Not So) Secret Diary Of A Pole And Aerial Hoop Beginner – Week Three>>>

THE (NOT SO) SECRET DIARY OF A POLE AND AERIAL HOOP BEGINNER – WEEK ONE

Posted on by Joey

Week One – Pole

Ok, so I was super excited and nervous to attend my first pole class, but as soon as I stepped into the studio, that all melted away, everyone made me feel incredibly welcome (I was the only guy attending the class and felt a bit intimidated, everyone else looked very confident and like they’d been doing pole for a while).

We started off with some stretching to warm up and I am not the most co-ordinated or spatially aware person you’ll meet (I walk into door frames in my own house on the regular and anyone who has seen me dance will tell you I move like a baby giraffe!), but by following my instructor, the absolutely brilliant Hannah Rose Kaynes, I was soon feeling comfortable and suitably warmed up.

We were split into two groups, absolute newbies and people who had already attended two to three classes. There were six of us in my newbie group and we all paired off to share a pole.

Hannah started by showing us a Step Around, with the proper form and hand positioning. The first time I stepped around the pole I laughed out loud at myself, it felt incredibly weird, but also a hell of a lot of fun! Everyone was very encouraging and friendly, giving me pointers on what I was doing and congratulating me on getting it after just a few tries.

After training both sides for about 15 minutes, Hannah moved us on to an Attitude spin. Now, I had been critiqued for taking my feet off the floor earlier when learning the step around but told it would serve me well later, well with the Attitude spin I now understood! The positioning of the leg that doesn’t contact with the pole in this move felt very weird to me (read cramps), but after a few tries off the pole with everyone else in the group and then a couple more on the pole on both sides, it felt pretty natural.

We moved on to the Fan Kick as the last thing to be learned that night. Again, we practised the leg movements on the floor as a group before trying it out on the pole. This didn’t come naturally to me, but after a few tries and then thinking “screw it, just go for it” I got it! The inevitable “point your toes Joey” was raised at this point in the lesson by Hannah and again I laughed out loud! But once I did it, I was complimented on what a lovely point I have (major confidence booster there, thanks Hannah!).

Finally, we tied all three things we had learnt together, which was immensely satisfying. The progression you can make in just one lesson and see the results of what you have learned straight away is very gratifying, a completely different experience to any gym workout I have tried before.

A few more stretches before the class finished and we were done! I must admit, I ached for a day or so afterwards, but I totally expected this after not having done anything in the gym or at home for so long, but honestly, the aches reminded me that I had actually gotten off my butt and left the Netflix binging to do something.

All in all, it was so much fun and such a welcoming and friendly space, I cannot wait for the next class, we’re going to be learning climbing!

Also, big thanks to Dion for such a warm welcome and a lovely chat post class about this project!

Week One – Aerial Hoop

So after ‘breaking my cherry’ and attending my first pole class on Monday, I didn’t feel nearly so intimidated walking into the Aerial Attic for my first aerial hoop class!

Again, everyone was super friendly and easy going. My instructor for this class was the lovely Ellie Pickersgill, who I have worked with on quite a few events and exhibitions, so I felt at ease as soon as we started.

That was until we started our conditioning, but I’ll get to that in a moment! Ellie warmed us up with plenty of stretches to make sure we were nice and limber for the lesson. I must admit, I did break a bit of a sweat, but found it easier to follow after having done Hannah’s warm up on Monday.

Then we started our conditioning; honestly, after pole on Monday, I was absolutely buzzing all Monday night and most of Tuesday, until the aches started. Coughing or sneezing from Tuesday night to Wednesday evening was a game of Russian Roulette with the result being a painful twinge in my abdominal area! Once we had gone through one or two conditioning sets, I instantly felt better (the pole aches died down and were replaced with some new aches!).

I could really feel the work I was putting in with the hoop conditioning, especially around my shoulders, chest, back and core.

After that, we moved on to our first move in the hoop; Splits Away. To me, this instantly felt like I had achieved something in the class, a great feeling!

The next move was Man In The Moon, which I have to say was my favourite thing I learned in the lesson so far. I’ve seen this move so many times on social media and even though I found it relatively simple to achieve, it always looks fairly impressive to me, because when someone is doing it, they really “look at home” in the hoop.

Lastly, Ellie took me through the Gazelle, which was my least favourite, for two reasons; it felt a little uncomfortable for me (maybe when my flexibility improves, I’ll like it more!) and secondly because I didn’t feel like I truly ‘nailed’ it as a move (there’s always next week!).

After that, a quick warm down for injury prevention and that was the end of my first Aerial Hoop class. I enjoyed it immensely, just like the pole class, but for different reasons.

The slower pace of the hoop class was very different to me and the focus on the upper body strength really appealed as I could feel my muscles being worked there and then, whereas with the pole class, I definitely broke a sweat but didn’t feel it until the next day.

The one thing they both had in common for me was a great feeling afterwards and a real sense of achieving something.

I’m incredibly glad I signed myself up to this project and cannot wait to get to week two!

<<<Previous post – The (Not So) Secret Diary Of A Pole And Aerial Hoop Beginner – Introduction<<<

>>>Next post – The (Not So) Secret Diary Of A Pole And Aerial Hoop Beginner – Week Two>>>

The (Not So) Secret Diary of A Pole and Aerial Hoop Beginner

Posted on by Joey

I visit a lot of studios, competitions and showcases for my job here at X-POLE. After initially meeting people, the inevitable question comes up every single time: “So do you do pole or aerial?” My answer for over three years has always been the same; “No, but if I wasn’t so busy, I’d love to give it a try!”

Another comment is usually something along the lines of: “You must love having the X-POLE studio right above your office, I bet you’re in there every day!” Again, I’d love to respond with a resounding yes, but truthfully, I haven’t stepped foot in the studio in my entire time at X-POLE, except for work purposes.

Recently, I’ve had a lot of conversations with people about the low level of men participating in Pole and Aerial too (both in terms of class attendance and competition entrants). Nobody is quite sure why there are so few, but it’s a recurring theme of conversations I have with people on my travels.

I’ve always been in awe of the physical prowess, confidence and bravery of all the competitors and performers I see at the events I attend. Add in to that the creativity of some of the pieces people bring to the stage and I can’t help but admire every single person who has the determination and discipline to train and bring their vision to the stage.

Having thought long and hard about the above points, I’ve decided to put my money where my mouth is and put myself forward for beginners pole and beginners aerial hoop classes at The Aerial Attic studio.

Full disclosure, I haven’t been to a gym or done exercise with any regularity in over two years, I have never attended a pole or aerial hoop class (I’ve had a little play at trade shows, video shoots and exhibitions) so I am starting from the beginning in every sense of the phrase.

I’m super excited about it and will be sharing my experiences (and muscle pains/pole kisses) and progress via a weekly blog post on x-pole.co.uk and via my social media (check the bottom of this post for links to my Facebook and Instagram profiles), so if you want an insight into what it’s like for someone starting pole and aerial hoop from absolute scratch (and a good laugh), keep an eye on the blog section of the X-POLE website.

>>>Next Post – The (Not So) Secret Diary Of A Pole And Aerial Hoop Beginner – Week One>>>

YouBeauty: How Pole Dancing Can Benefit Your Physical and Mental Health

Posted on by Joey

If the movie Hustlers hasn’t inspired you enough to try out pole dancing, maybe this article will. Pole dancing has become a prevalent form of exercise and is anything but easy. J-Lo had to go through intense pole dancing training for her role on Hustlers (which makes sense that her body is incredible) and said that the exercise was extremely challenging on both her mind and body. So, what are the benefits of pole dancing?

Core workout

Jennifer Lopez has been the queen of abs since I can remember, so if she says pole dancing is a good core workout, I’m already convinced. Pole dancing engages your entire core in a way that traditional ab workouts don’t, resulting in rock-solid abs that you can’t get anywhere else.

Confidence boost

It might take a little bit to get the hang of pole dancing, but once you do and realize how much fun it is, you’ll find your confidence going up too. Pole dancing isn’t just about having a strong body and being able to do all those tricks- it’s about being confident in yourself. There’s a reason why pole dancers look so good when they’re dancing- they feel great about themselves as they’re doing it!

Flexibility

Being able to stretch your body around a pole is going to play a role in increasing your flexibility. It’s as simple as that. Movements like leg extensions and backbends are frequent with pole dancing, and to comfortably do those, you need to be flexible. You might also find that pole dancing helps with stiff muscles and back pain.

Heart and blood flow

Pole dancing is an excellent form of cardio, as are most aerobic workouts. Pole dancing engages all of your muscles, meaning an increase in blood flow throughout your body.

Helps you relax

Although pole dancing is probably more complicated than yoga, many people find that it helps them relax. Adrenaline increases the more stressed out we get, and pole dancing is a great way to release that built up adrenaline. Your body will start to produce more endorphins, and you’ll find yourself more calm and relaxed in no time.

Motivation

Sometimes working out can get repetitive. You can only go to the gym for so long before you find yourself bored and unmotivated. And that’s where pole dancing comes in. Pole dancing is a unique and exciting workout that is entirely different from a regular session in the gym. Pole dancing is an intense workout, while still being fun. And the more you practice pole dancing, the better results you’ll see, and the more motivated you will be to keep trying.

Increased endurance

Unlike running, which can feel like it goes on for hours, a pole dancing class is likely to go by in the blink of an eye just because of how fun it is. Pole dancing is an excellent form of cardio, and the more you practice it, the more your endurance will increase.

This article originally appeared on YouBeauty.com 03/11/2019